Page 89 of Broken Bonds

“I’ve already filled out the paperwork, and I leave the day after graduation.” Mom sucked in a sharp, horrified breath. “I’m twenty-two. I’m an adult now, and you and Mom can’t stop me from doing this.” Rage filled my parents’ faces, and I squirmed in my seat, knowing this was going to turn into a bad storm very quickly.

“Listen here, boy. As long you live under this roof, drive a car with gas that I pay for, and go to a college that I also paid for, you will listen to your mother and me. Do you understand me, Ryan?” Dad’s voice boomed in the kitchen, and I saw Ryan shrink back into his seat.

“Do you want to die, Ryan? Do you want to be killed? How can you do this to me after I just almost lost your sister?” Mom burst into tears. Dad wrapped his big, burly arm around her, looking uncomfortable.

Nobody spoke. My mother’s sobs filled the air, and my eyes remained on my brother, who looked defeated. Grabbing his arm under the table, I squeezed. If this was what he wanted to do, I was going to stand beside him.

“I think Ryan should go. Clearly, he’s done his research. It’s only for two years. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

My parents turned their glares from Ryan to me as soon as I opened my mouth. I flinched back from them.

“I didn’t realize you had a voice anymore, let alone an opinion on the matter.” Dad’s sharp words cut through me. Myhand dropped from Ryan’s arm, but he grabbed my hand under the table, squeezing it.

“Don’t take this out on her.” Ryan found his voice, taking some of the heat off me.

“She hasn’t spoken in weeks, and now, she decides to stand up for you?” Dad paused, looking between the two of us. “You knew, didn’t you? He told you before dinner so he would have someone on his side.” His hard eyes were on me.

I shook my head in answer. I was at a loss for words. Why was he so angry with me?

“She didn’t know. Amber doesn’t know either. I wanted to tell you all together.”

“How could you side with him, Celine? Do you want to lose him like you lost Aidan?” Regret flashed through my mother’s eyes the second she said it. Dad’s eyes landed on my mother in shock, and Ryan stiffened instantly.

I didn’t move. Gasping for breath, I looked at my plate of food, counting down in my head, trying to calm my racing heart and ringing ears.

She didn’t just say that. I had to have misheard.

“How could you say that to her?!” Ryan exploded, his grip on my hand tight, the only thing stabilizing me. I wanted to leave, to flee to my room, to be alone.

“Honey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way.” Hot tears were rolling down my cheeks, blurring the view of my mother.

How could she?

Standing up, my chair flew backward, falling over. Ryan’s grip on my hand loosened in surprise, enough for me to yank my hand from his. Taking a shaky step away from the table, I clutched my burning throat in one hand and my chest with the other, feeling completely broken.

I barely registered Mom standing and reaching for me. I staggered backward, gasping for air. Backing up into the leg ofthe chair, it stabbed my calf by one of my scars, and pain flared throughout my leg.

“Celine!” Ryan was standing now, trying to pull me into his arms. I pushed him away, tripping over my own feet and collapsing to the tiled ground. He was quick to reach down and extend a helping hand.

“Leave me alone!” I screamed, my throat constricting around the words, pain ripping from my throat as a sob tore through. I crumpled into a shell of the girl I used to be.

“Look what you did to her!” Ryan angrily shouted at our mother as he squatted behind me, a warm hand running up and down my spine.

I curled into myself, covering my face with my hands as the tears just rolled down my cheeks, and pain as raw as the day I found out Aidan died flooded my every cell. Ryan’s burly arms wrapped around my trembling body, trying to provide comfort, but with a scream of agony tearing from my parted lips, I couldn’t find any in his arms.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, baby.” Mom’s cool hands settled over mine, and I recoiled.

“Take her out of here, Ryan,” Dad ordered, his voice filled with pain.

I broke everyone around me.

Ryan picked me up, cradling my body to his chest. His lips near my ear whispered words of comfort, but I found none. With my face buried in his neck, my tears falling onto his warm skin, at least I didn’t feel so alone. He sat down on what I assumed was my bed, his arms still tightly wrapped around me.

“I’m here. I’m here, Cece.” The childhood nickname pulled at my heartstrings, and I tightened my grip around him next, my tears falling faster. I could barely breathe. Sucking in air between each cry left me gasping.

“I won’t leave you. I’m not them, Celine. I’m your brother, and I’ll always be here when you need me.” But hewasleaving, wasn’t he? He’d already signed his contract.

He didn’t speak for what seemed like an hour as I cried until there was nothing left, until the gaping hole in my chest wasn’t all-consuming.

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